Piedmont defeated short-handed LaGrange 25-5 in a USA South game Sunday at Callaway Stadium. The loss left the Panthers 0-6 overall and 0-3 in conference play. The Lions stayed perfect in the conference at 5-0 and upped their record to 5-4.
The Panthers had only 16 players available, while facing a Piedmont team with over 40 players. The Panthers got production from freshmen Tripp Floyd and Michael St. John, both making their first starts of the season.
Floyd and St. John each scored their first two collegiate goals. St. John also added an assist. Isaac Fuller scored the other goal for LC.
The Panthers stayed close to Piedmont for one period. After the Lions scored with a man down, Fuller answered with an unassisted goal to tie the game. Trailing 3-1, St. John scored his first collegiate goal off an assist from Jhalil Daniels with 4:40 left in the period. The Lions scored in the final minute to take a 4-2 lead.
The Lions broke the game open in the second period, scoring eight unanswered goals for a 12-2 halftime lead. Floyd got his first collegiate goal six minutes into the third period with an assist from St. John, stopping a run of 11 straight goals by the Lions. St. John added his second goal later in the period. Jacob Jeffords won a faceoff in the fourth period and found Floyd for the goal.
The Panthers host Huntingdon in a USA South game next Sunday.
